Mighty Avengers #33 Review

Norman Osborn + Cosmic Cube = Really bad situation.

After the announcement last week that Marvel would be cancelling all of their Avengers titles post-Siege, I was most distraught by the prospect of losing Mighty Avengers. Dan Slott's tenure on the book has delivered some fantastic concepts that have yet to be fully explored, and I hope he's given room within the new Avengers landscape to continue to develop them. This latest issue, which wraps up the "Mighty/Dark" story arc, is a perfect example of why this book should be regarded at least as highly as both New and Dark Avengers.

Picking up right where last issue left off, both Osborn and Pym's Avengers teams find themselves facing off against a cosmic cube charged Absorbing Man. Osborn and Pym vie for leadership status throughout the issue, as both teams struggle to find a way to deal with this daunting threat. Throughout the issue it's made clear that Loki is in fact manipulating both Pym and Osborn behind the scenes in true puppet master fashion.

Slott's script makes excellent use of every device he has in play throughout the issue. He utilizes Absorbing Man's reality shifting abilities to great effect, resurrecting both a classic and young Avenger and revealing the true nature of the Dark Avengers to the observing media. The way in which he pits Pym and Osborn against one another as they struggle to gain control over the cosmic cube perfectly captures the essence of both characters. And while some may quibble that using Loki as a "deus ex machina" at the end of the issue reads as something of a cop out, I'd argue that it's remarkably consistent with the overall direction of his run.

The one complaint I have in this issue is that Khoi Pham's background work leaves much to be desired. He draws dynamic, expressive and detailed figures but for the most part they're showcased against a relatively bland backdrop. In some cases I find myself being taken out of the story purely because it appears to be taking place in a vacuum of space. Despite the lackluster way in which it's been depicted on the page I can't help but be enthralled by the concept of the Infinite Avengers Mansion. Frankly I can't think of a better base of operations for the Avengers going forward into the Heroic Age and I hope whoever is able to call themselves an Avenger post-Siege sets up camp in Pym's creation.

Based upon future solicits and events that take place in this issue it looks like Pym's Avengers' role in Siege may be fairly limited and that's unfortunate. The interactions between the Dark and Mighty Avengers have been truly enjoyable. This story arc reveals a book that is just starting to get its legs and I'd hate to see the door closed on this team so soon after its inception.